A new approach to the synthesis of benzothiazole, benzoxazole, and pyridine nucleosides as potential antitumor agents.

A modified nitrogen and sulfur glycosylation reaction involving benzothiazole benzoxazole and pyridine nucleoside bases with furanose and pyranose sugars are described. Conformational analysis has been studied by homo- and heteronuclear two-dimensional NMR methods (2D DFQ-COSY, HMQC and HMBC). The N and S sites of glycosylation were determined from the 1H, 13C heteronuclear multiple-quantum coherence (HMQC) experiments. All the deprotected nucleosides were tested for their potential antitumor activity.